1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus for producing a heat exchanger for an air conditioning system, and specifically to a heat-exchanger tube manufacturing apparatus of a group of heat-exchanger manufacturing apparatus, namely (a) a header pipe manufacturing apparatus which produces a header pipe by forming a flat metal plate material such as metal sheet into a cylindrical shape by way of pressing, (b) a heat-exchanger tube manufacturing apparatus which produces a U-shaped, roll-formed product (often called a xe2x80x9cholderxe2x80x9d) by roll-forming a band-like or strip-like metallic material, and then produces a heat-exchanger tube by inserting an inner fin, produced by pressing or roll-forming, into the xe2x80x9cholderxe2x80x9d, (c) an outer-fin manufacturing apparatus which forms a strip-like metallic material into a corrugated fin (an outer fin) by means of a corrugate cutter, and (d) an assembling apparatus for producing an assembled product by assembling the header pipe produced by the header pipe manufacturing apparatus with a sub-assembly produced by stacking the heat exchanger tube obtained through the heat-exchanger tube manufacturing apparatus and the outer fin obtained through the outer-fin manufacturing apparatus, and more specifically to the improvements of an apparatus for cutting a roll-formed product of a roll-forming unit used for roll-forming a band-like or strip-like metallic material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is generally known, on a typical roll-forming unit, an apparatus, used to cut a roll-formed product, is placed side by side with a roll-forming machine, usually in back of the roll-forming machine, that is, at the late stage of roll forming. A roll-formed product, continuously roll-formed by means of the roll-forming machine, is sent out toward the cutting apparatus. Then, the roll-formed product sent out is cut into a predetermined length by means of the roll-formed product cutting apparatus. After termination of one cycle of cutting process, the rear end of the product cut at this cutting cycle remains within the roll-formed product cutting apparatus. The product cut at this cutting cycle will be hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cthe previous cut productxe2x80x9d. The previous cut product is pushed out the cutting apparatus by the front end of a succeeding roll-formed product sent into the cutting apparatus subsequently thereto, and then flows to a next process. In such a conventional way that the previous cut product is sent out from within the cutting apparatus by virtue of introduction of the succeeding roll-formed product into the entry of the cutting apparatus, it is necessary to increase a roll-forming speed of the succeeding product subjected to roll forming, and consequently to increase a feed speed of the succeeding roll-formed product into the cutting apparatus, in order to rapidly accurately push out the previous cut product from with in the cutting apparatus to a predetermined position at the end of the cutting process. The excessive feed speed of the succeeding roll-formed product increases the possibility that the previous cut product is sprung or jumped overflowed out of the predetermined backward position. In the case where, in case that the roll-forming line is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance line of the cut product, there is a risk that the cut product may be overflowed out of the predetermined downstream position or jumped out of the conveyance line. It is difficult and troublesome to accurately optimally adjust or control the feed speed of the succeeding roll-formed product.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for cutting a roll-formed product of a roll-forming unit which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide a roll-formed product cutting apparatus of a roll-forming unit, capable of accurately properly sending out toward within a predetermined position on a conveyance line of the cut product, in each cutting process.
In order to accomplish the aforementioned and other objects of the present invention, an apparatus for cutting a roll-formed product for a roll-forming unit having at least a roll-forming machine comprises a cutter mechanism and a feed roller. The cutter mechanism cuts the roll-formed product fed from the roll-forming machine into a predetermined cut length. The feed roller feeds the cut roll-formed product to a screw conveyor positioned downstream of the cutter mechanism. The feed roller is controlled to rotate so that the feed roller is timed to feed the cut roll-formed product into a designated position of the screw conveyor.
The cutter mechanism can comprise a movable cutter movable toward and away from the roll-formed product in a direction perpendicular to the flow of the roll-formed product, a cutter guide for guiding the roll-formed product so that the roll-formed product passes through the cutter guide, and for guiding the movable cutter while being in sliding-contact with the movable cutter, and a roll-formed product introducing guide for introducing the roll-formed product toward within the cutter guide, while horizontally supporting the roll-formed product.
It is preferable that the movable cutter be located above the roll-formed product, whereas the feed roller can be located below the roll-formed product; also the movable cutter is arranged substantially midway between the roll-formed product introducing guide and the feed roller, and the roll-formed product introducing guide and the feed roller can cooperate with each other to horizontally support the roll-formed product.
According to another aspect of the invention, in a system for manufacturing a heat exchanger tube, an apparatus for-cutting a roll-formed product for a roll-forming unit having at least a roll-forming machine roll-forming a strip material into a predetermined shape to produce the roll-formed product, and a drier for removing fatty material adhered onto the roll-formed product to produce a roll-formed, degreased product, the cutters apparatus comprises a cutter mechanism, a feed roller, and a sensor. The cutter mechanism cuts. The cutter mechanism suts the roll-formed, degreased product fed from the drier into a predetermined cut length. The feed roller feeds the cut roll-formed, degreased product to a screw conveyor positioned downstream of the cutter mechanism. The feed roller is also controlled to rotate so that the feed roller is timed to feed the cut roll-formed, degreased product into a designated position of the screw conveyor. The sensor detects a passing state of the roll-formed, degreased product cut by the cutter mechanism, so that an introduction timing of the roll-formed, degreased product into the cutter mechanism and a cutting timing of the roll-formed, degreased product are adjusted by the passing state detected by the sensor.